MY Ladybug
by Karama9
Summary: A potential explanation for Laura Nightingale's new video proclaiming Ladybug's real identity loud and clear... I changed the dialogue between Marinette and Laura a little - I didn't leave it in whispers and I added to it. Let's imagine the show shortened it for time. Yeah. WARNING! Contains minor spoilers for season 2.


"We could do the video in your school?" Laura Nightingale asked excitedly. "That would be so cool!"

Marinette nodded, smiling widely. She lifted up her phone and pointed at it. "I just got the approval from the principal!"

Laura squealed and seizing Marinette's hands, nearly causing her to drop her phone, dragged her into a short improvised dance.

"That's marvelous! Oh, Marinette, you saved the video for Miraculous! Thank you, thank you! To show my gratitude, you have to tell me! What can I do for you?" Laura stopped dancing and looked intently at Marinette. She clearly meant the offer.

Marinette cocked her head, suddenly struck by an idea. She really could use some help getting out of putting on the mask - she had been so keen on helping Laura, feeling somewhat responsible since she'd prevented Chloe from getting the part of Ladybug, that she hadn't really thought things through.

She cast her mind in all directions, trying to think of a way she wouldn't have to play Ladybug without asking for Chloe to get the part after all - she wasn't quite so generous as being willing to let Chloe get her way after she had sabotaged the video.

It was a shame she had happened to be the quickest to go help when Laura had tripped, she knew for a fact many of her friends would have helped too. They deserved to be Ladybug just as much as she did.

Her eyes widened. That was it.

"Well, you remember how I wanted to be an extra with my friends? I was thinking… I know I was the first to jump out and help, but the truth is, I was just quicker than everyone else. There isn't a single student in this school who wouldn't have helped you. Well, okay, maybe ONE," she added, thinking of Chloe, "but… if you want to make a video about Paris and Ladybug, wouldn't it be great to show how everyone can be the hero? How it's everyone that helps each other, not just the person who happens to have super powers?"

Laura cocked her head, thinking.

"We can't possibly make well fitting costumes for everyone before the end of the day," she mused, "so using only the masks would be the only way."

Marinette nodded enthusiastically. "Just let everyone pick which one they want, and you'll have a whole bunch of Ladybugs and Cat Noirs!"

Laura smiled. "I like this plan! But I still need to call YOU Ladybug. After all this, for your pure heart, I'm YOUR die hard fan!"

Marinette turned bright red. "That's… really not… necessary…" she babbled. "I wouldn't want people to think I'm ACTUALLY…"

Alya, who had somehow materialized next to her at some point in the conversation, snorted in laughter.

"Marinette, Laura could literally have "Marinette is Ladybug" in the song, people would still not think you actually ARE. No offense, bff, and you know I adore you, but you're nothing like her."

"Besides," Laura added, nodding enthusiastically at Alya, "I'll make it clear it's not real, so don't be worried, if you were."

* * *

Marinette still cringed a bit when she first heard the final version of the song used in the video. But by the end of the day and evening of filming, they had all heard "Ladybug" calling herself "Marinette" through Laura's song about a thousand times, and nobody thought Laura Nightingale had casually revealed Ladybug's identity: they were just having a laugh about it, and Marinette was all too happy to help the hilarity by tripping and falling just a few more times than she naturally would have, in a very un-Ladybug-like fashion.

Laura was true to her word. For weeks afterwards, she was never seen in an interview without volunteering the fact that Marinette had been used as Ladybug's real name to honour a pure hearted fan who demonstrated better than anyone Laura had met that you could be a hero even without powers.

It made Marinette blush furiously every time, but her identity was safe and Laura had become a good friend - and that was worth a bit of embarrassment.


End file.
